Big plays haunt Burnet in its 36-31 loss to Brownwood
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR
BROWNWOOD — When Burnet High School’s Austin Huff kicked a 36-yard field goal against Brownwood with 35 second left in the game to give the Bulldogs a 31-30 lead, it looked as if Burnet could mark a check in the district win column.
But then Kaimon Ontiveros happened.
On the ensuing kickoff, Brownwood’s Conner Howard caught the ball in his own end zone and pitched it to Ontiveros. When he took the ball, Ontiveros had 105 yards separating him and the end zone. So, he skirted a few tackles and ran the distance, shattering Bulldog hearts along the way.
The touchdown gave Brownwood a 36-31 win over Burnet to start District 8-3A play. The Bulldogs fell to 4-2 overall and 0-1 in district, while Brownwood evens up their overall record at 3-3 and takes a 1-0 start in district.
Ontiveros’ kickoff return for a score was the second of the night for Brownwood at Gordon Wood Stadium on Oct. 11.
The Bulldogs started the game by taking their first drive 70 yards with quarterback Derek Kiser topping it off with a five-yard touchdown pass to Blayne Parisher. Huff’s point-after attempt was good, giving Burnet a 7-0 lead. But the Lions’ Bryan Johnson returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. The Brownwood point-after attempt failed, giving Burnet a 7-6 lead.
The Lions’ struck again to get a 13-7 edge in the first quarter. But in the second quarter, Kiser and company went 53 yards to regain the lead, 14-13. Parisher came up with two big receptions of 26 yards and 17 yards to set up a two-yard touchdown run by Trenton Hafley for the Bulldogs.
However, it only took two plays on the next drive for Brownwood to regain control. Lions quarterback Chris Keesee hooked up with Ontiveros for a 72-yard touchdown pass for a 20-14 lead. Then, on the kickoff, the ball took a high, tumbling bounce, giving Brownwood a chance to get to it before a Bulldog.
Brownwood took over with first-and-10 on Burnet’s 20-yard line.
The Lions took advantage of the Bulldogs miscue and, six plays later, added another seven points. Brownwood headed into the half with a 27-14 lead and a lot of momentum.
But the Bulldogs defense stepped up in the second half and forced Brownwood to go three-and-out on the first drive. Then, the Bulldogs offense once again found themselves with good field position at their own 49-yard line.
A few plays later, Kiser hit Huff over the middle for a 39-yard reception to the Lions’ 12-yard line. Four plays later, Hafley bulled his way into the end zone, cutting the Brownwood lead to 27-21.
Burnet’s defense again shut down Brownwood’s offense. But it would be the fourth quarter before the Bulldogs managed to regain the lead. And they did it on Hafley’s legs.
The senior running back carried the ball seven times for 50 yards on the drive, capping it off with a two-yard touchdown lunge. Huff’s PAT was good, and Burnet led 28-27.
Brownwood finally mustered a drive in the second half. The Lions started on their own 24-yard line, but they managed to work their way down to the Burnet 20-yard line. But the drive stalled there, setting up a fourth-and-13 situation. Despite the stiff head wind, the Lions turned to their kicker Abraham Oviedo.
Oviedo gave Brownwood back the lead, 30-28, with his 37-yard field goal.
The field goal helped set up what appeared to be the heroic return of Burnet’s Huff. The Bulldog kicker had missed the past two games. On the next Bulldog drive, Kiser and company managed to set up Huff at the Lions’ 19-yard line for a 36-yard field goal to lift the Bulldogs over Brownwood, 31-30.
Huff did his part, but then on the ensuing kickoff, Ontiveros did his and then some with the 105-yard kickoff return.
The Bulldogs host Gatesville on Oct. 11 for their second district game. The kickoff is 7:30 p.m.
daniel@thepicayune.com